Rare Car Archive

Makes › Mercedes-Benz Germany › W 154 · Factory competition · 1938–1939 Ultra Rare

Mercedes-Benz
W 154

3-litre V12 GP car (1938 European champion)

Mercedes-Benz W 154 (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz type W 154 "Silberpfeil" (M.N.A.1602) 1939)
Mercedes-Benz W 154 (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz type W 154 "Silberpfeil" (M.N.A.1602) 1939)
Photo: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0
14BuiltFactory reported
0Chassis documentedin this archive
?SurvivingNot yet verified
Contents
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Production & history
  3. 03Specifications
  4. 04Colours & options
  5. 05Individual cars
  6. 06Reference

01Overview

At a glance

Built
14 Built
Years
1938–1939
Engine
Front-mounted, longitudinal 60-degree V12 · 2,962 cc / 3.0 LFactory: 2,962 cc
Power
360 kW / 490 PSFactory: 483 hp · converted
Top speed
309 km/hFactory: 309 km/h
Body
Not yet verified
Designer
Mercedes-Benz racing department; engine design team around Albert Heess
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
Not yet verified

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

The W 154 was Mercedes-Benz's answer to the 3-litre supercharged Grand Prix formula of 1938–1939, and it dominated both seasons. Its two-stage supercharged V12 gave more than 160 bhp per litre, and 16 cars were built.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Model rarityUltra Rare 14 · Built1,2
Specification rarityNot yet assessed
Colour rarityNot yet assessed
Individual rarityNot yet assessed
Historical rarityNot yet assessed
Survival rarityNot yet assessed

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

What is countedFigureBasisStatus
Total model productionW 154 chassis built for the 1938 and 1939 races; a fifteenth car was assembled from parts by Daimler-Benz after the war and raced in Argentina in 1951 141,2 Factory production Factory reported

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Replacing the W 125 for 1938, the W 154 used a front-mounted 2,962 cc M163 V12 with two-stage Roots supercharging and a five-speed gearbox in an oval-tube chassis with De Dion rear axle. In 1938 it won the Tripoli, French, German, Swiss and Coppa Acerbo races, among others, with Lang, von Brauchitsch, Seaman and Caracciola. In 1939 it added wins including the Pau, Belgian, German and Swiss Grands Prix.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard W 154.

No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeM1633 Independently researched
LayoutFront-mounted, longitudinal 60-degree V123 Independently researched
Cylinders121
Displacement 2,962 cc / 3.0 LFactory: 2,962 cc3 Independently researched
Bore 67 mmFactory: 67 mm3 Independently researched
Stroke 70 mmFactory: 70 mm3 Independently researched
Compression ratio7.5:13 Independently researched
ValvetrainTwo overhead camshafts per cylinder bank driven by a spur-gear cascade; two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder via rocker arms1
Fuel systemTwin-barrel intake carburettor upstream of the superchargers plus an additional slide carburettor1
InductionTwo-stage Roots-type supercharger3 Independently researched
Power 360 kW / 490 PSFactory: 483 hp · converted3 Independently researchedSource: 483 bhp / 360 kW.
Power at 7,800 rpm3 Independently researched
Torque 490 NmFactory: 490 Nm3 Independently researched

Transmission & drivetrain

Gearbox5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive3 Independently researched
Gears51
Driven wheelsRear wheels (transaxle)1

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisNickel-chrome-molybdenum oval tube frame with aluminium body3 Independently researched
Front suspensionDouble trapezoidal links with coil springs and hydraulic dual-piston shock absorbers1
Rear suspensionDe Dion axle with torsion bars and hydraulic dual-piston shock absorbers1
BrakesFour drums, 400 mm diameter; rear drums enlarged to 470 mm for some races; finned turbo-cooled drums from 19391,4
SteeringNot yet verified
Body constructionNot yet verified
Wheelbase 2,720 mmFactory: 2,720 mm3 Independently researched
LengthNot yet verified
WidthNot yet verified
HeightNot yet verified
Front trackNot yet verified
Rear trackNot yet verified
Kerb weightNot yet verified
Dry weight 859 kgFactory: 859 kg41939 car, regulation weighing without fuel, coolant and driver. The 1938 car weighed 981 kg under the same conditions.

Performance

Maximum speed 309 km/hFactory: 309 km/h3 Independently researched
0–100 km/hNot yet verified
Fuel tank 420 LFactory: 420 L41939 specification (235 L saddle tank, 185 L rear tank). 1938 cars carried around 400 L, and up to 475 L on some cars.

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

04Colours & options

Factory colours & interiors

Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Factory options & codes

Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

05Individual cars

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

See one in person

Museums where an example of this car can be seen.

No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

06Reference

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The W 154 has a 60-degree V12 with two overhead camshafts per bank, four valves per cylinder, a 67 x 70 mm bore and stroke, and two upright Roots blowers on the 1938 car; in 1939 many cars had a single two-stage blower mounted horizontally at the front. The engine is tilted 6.5 degrees to the right so the propeller shaft runs offset to the left beside a very low driver position. The frame is an oval-tube ladder frame, the wheelbase is 2730 mm, and the fuel is carried in a saddle tank ahead of a rear tank (420 litres in total in 1939, 235 litres of it in the saddle tank). The 1939 cars have a rounder, higher front because the combined water and oil cooler moved forward, and finned turbo-cooled brake drums.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    Mercedes-Benz Grand-Prix racing car W 154, 1938 (Classic M@RS) Level A Mercedes-Benz Group AG (Classic M@RS, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive)
    • A total of fourteen W 154 chassis were built for the various races
    • M 154, was designed as a V12
    • two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank driven by a spur gear cascade
    • twin-barrel intake carburettor was installed upstream of the two superchargers
    • five-speed gearbox for the first time
    • drive shaft running to the transaxle
    • double trapezoidal links with coil springs and hydraulic dual-piston shock absorbers
    • torsion-bar-sprung de Dion axle with hydraulic dual-piston shock absorbers
    • four drums measuring 400 mm ... rear brake drums were enlarged to 470 mm
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  2. 2
  3. 3
    Mercedes-Benz W154 Level C Wouter Melissen · Ultimatecarpage.com · 2009-12-21
    • M163 60º V12
    • M163 60º V12; front, longitudinally mounted
    • 2,962 cc
    • 67.0 mm / 70.0 mm
    • Compression 7.5:1
    • Two Stage Roots-Type Supercharger
    • 483 bhp / 360 kW @ 7,800 rpm
    • @ 7,800 rpm
    • 490 Nm @ 5,000 rpm
    • 5-speed manual; rear-wheel drive
    • Aluminium body on a nickel-chrome molybdenum oval tube frame
    • Wheelbase: 2,720 mm
    • Top speed: 309 km/h
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  4. 4
    Mercedes-Benz Grand-Prix racing car W 154, 1939 (Classic M@RS) Level A Mercedes-Benz Group AG (Classic M@RS, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive)
    • so-called turbo brake
    • reduce the vehicle weight to 859 kg ... excluding fuel, coolant and driver
    • A total capacity of 420 litres was chosen
    Accessed 2026-11-12

Keep exploring

More from Mercedes-Benz

See all 212 cars by Mercedes-Benz →

Germany More from Germany

71 other makes from Germany9ffAC SchnitzerAdlerAgria-WerkeAlbertAlpinaAMOAmphicarApolloArtegaAudiAuto UnionAutomobili PininfarinaBayerische AutowerkeBitterBMWBohseBoldmenBorgwardBovensiepenBrennaborBrütschChampionDauerDKWFMR (Messerschmitt)FuldamobilGemballaGepardGlasGoggomobilGoliathGumpertGutbrodHanomagHeinkelHorchHyundaiIFAIrmscherAll makes →